Draft and buffing rigging.



PATENTED DBC.15, 1903.. R. D. GALLAGHER, JR. DRAFT AND BAUFPING RIGGING.

APPLICATION PILiiD GOT-5, 1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET. 1.

H0 MODEL.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED DEC. 15, 1903.

R. 1). GALLAGHER, Jm DRAFT AND BUFFING RIGGING.

APPLICATION FILED 0073.5, 1-903.

NO MODEL.

m: mums PETERS on, PHDTO-LFNOW wnsnmawn. n. c

wit" a PATENTEDIDEG. 15, 1903.

- No.v4e.s1s.

' a. n. GALLAGHER, JR.

DRAFT AND BUPPING RIGGING'.

A?PLIOATIOH FILED 0015, 1903.

4 SHEETS-sum 3.

K0 MODEL.

f i l (Rheum,

No. 746,813. PATENTED D30. 15, 1903.

' R. D. GALLAGHER, JR- v DRAFT AND BUFPING RIGGINGQ Arrmcuzox nunoo'm, 190s.

' 4 sums-sum 4.

E0 MODEL.

"1/03 messes RICHARD D. GALLAGHER, JR., OF NEW YORK, Y., ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD Patented December 15, 1903.

COUPLER COMPANY, on NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION on NEW JERSEY.

' DRAFT AND BTUDFFING mccmc.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lettersilatent No. 746,813, dated December 15, 1903. nt nmian fin October 5. 1 02, seal 1%. 175.373. (to model.)

following to be a full,'clear, and exact de-" scription of the same,.reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part to of this specificatin,and t0 the letters of reference marked thereon. The present invention relates to improvements in rigging designed to yield and take up strains of parts moved by heavy pressure, is the apparatus in this respect corresponding in function and general application to the apparatus set forth and described in my prior patent, No. 677,654.. The invention as illustrated and described in the following specification and drawings forming a part thereof is applied to or embodied in a friction draft and buffing rigging for railway-cars, and 'in designing the apparatus for such application of the invention the objects sought to be accomplishedare, first,the production of a highly-efficient structure; secondly, a structure which may be produced and applied at a minimum cost, and, thirdly, the production of a structurewhich may be used interchangeably with structures a of a similar character now in common use or, in other words, of such form and construction that the ordinary Master Car-Builders standard gear-may be substituted therefor without altering any of the parts of. the carframing or permanent attachments thereto.

Theinvention consists,primarily,in arranging the shoulders or projections on the gear throughwhich the pressure is transmitted to the permanent part of the gear'framing close together or at one end of .the rigging, the distance between such shoulders permitting of their location between stops constituting a permanent part of the car-frame and correspending in location to the location of the stops in theordinary Master Oar-Builders standard gear. 7

The invention further consists in forming the gearwith the wedge-box and spring-bar- 5o rel independent of each other but under oer,-

D. GALLA- carrier in section. spending to Fig. 4, but with'a metallic drafttain circumstances adapted to move in unison, the formation of the two separate from each other, however, facilitating the manufacture'in that the parts subjected to the greatest strain maybe made of high-grade material and the casting of all the parts is simplified.

The invention further consists in an apparat-us embodying a spring-barrel closed at one end and open at the opposite end, combined with a wedge-box arranged at the open end of said barrel and preferably separated therefrom to facilitate assembling of the parts.

The invention further consists in certain novel details of constrnction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be now described, and pointed out particularly in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure .1 is a plan view, one-half in section, of a draft and buffing rigging embodying the present improvement, one only of the drafttimbers and the inner end of the drawbar being shown. Fig- 2-is a transverse section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1, the spring-barrel being shown one-half in elevation. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, one-half in section, of the spring-barrel, center wedge, and wedge-box separated. Fig. 4 is an elevation looking at one of the cheek-plates with the draft-gear Fig. 5 is a view correarm instead of acheek-plate. Fig. 6 is a top plan view, partly in section, of the metal draft-arm arrangement shown in Fig. 5. Fig.

- 7 is a top plan, one-half in section, showing a modified arrangement of the spring-barrel and wedge-box, the invention in this instance being show-n' as applied to metallic draftirons. Fig. 8 is a side elevation, one-half in section, of the spring-barrel and wedge-box arrangement illustrated in Fig. 7. '7

Like-letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

The letter A in the 'accompanying drawings, Figs, 1, Land 4, indicates draft-tim bers of a car, which, as' shown in these figures, are the ordinary wooden draft-timbers; but for the purposes of the present invention they may be of any preferred type, and in Figs. 5 and 6 they are shown at A in the form of metallic draftarms applied to wooden draft-timbers, while in Fig. 7 they are shown at A in the form of metallic draft-irons constituting a part of the car or platform framing. In the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 4, or where wooden draft-timbers are employed, it is usual to make use of cheek-plates for retaining the draft and buffing gear, and I have shown in these figures. such an arrangement, the cheek-plates being indicated by the letter B, and it will be understood that they are secured to the draft-timbers by any usual or preferred fastening devices, such as bolts, shoulders, and keys, all of which are in common use at this day. These cheek-plates, as illustrated, have shoulders or stops B and B formed on their proximate faces for receiving the thrust or draft of the rigging and transmitting the same to the draft-timbers of the car, such stops B and B being so spaced and formedthat they will receive between them the follower-plates and springs in an ordinary Master Car-Builders draft-gear; but in the application of the present invention thereto a spring-barrel C, preferably closed at its rear end and open at its forward end, is provided with shoulders 0 near its forward end for cooperation with the stops B on the cheek-plates. The springbarrel is mounted between the cheek-plates and is held up in place by a draft-gear carrier D. (Best shown in Figs. 2 and 4.)

Forward of the spring-barrel there is provided a member which I have termed a wedge-box E, such wedge-box forming, in effect, a continuation of the spring-barrel and may, if desired, abut against the forward end of said barrel, being held in alinement therewith by projections 0 on the barrel, although as an additional strengthening means the wedge-box E is preferably provided with shoulders E, which will engage or cooperate with stops B on the cheek-plates arranged intermediate the stops B and B Thus the strain or pressure on the wedge-box may be transmitted to the cheek-plates through both the stops B and B as will be readily understood. The wedge-box E is formed with inclined walls E 0" its opposite sides, and within it is arranged a pair of wedge-blocks F and a center wedge F, the arrangement of said cen ter wedge and wedge-blocks being essentially similar to the arrangement of said parts in my before-mentioned patent.

Forward of the center wedge and wedge.- box is a follower G, which is confined between said last-mentioned parts and the stops B on the cheek-plates and serves to transmit draft strains to said stops in the ordinary manner.

In the present arrangement the center wedge F preferably normally takes a bearing against the center of the follower G and is held in contact therewith save when the wedge members are active by the pressure of the resilient member or spring H, which latter is located within the spring-barrel O and extends the number of springs is immaterial and two may be nested one within the other, or a number of springs may be arranged tandem, as hasbeen heretofore proposed,without departing from the present invention. The rear end of the draw-bar I preferably abuts directly against the follower G, and a strap 1', connected thereto in the ordinary manner, extends around the rigging and takes a bearing against the bottom of the spring-barrel to transmit draft strains thereto, the arrangement in this respect being not different from the arrangement of the ordinary draft-rigging.

In the preferred construction the center wedge F is provided with an inclined shoulder F at top and bottom, Fig. 3, adapted to seat against the corresponding shoulder E in the wedge-box.

In assembling the parts it will be understood that the spring is placed in the springbarrel and the center wedge in the wedgebox, the two then being brought together. The side wedges F are then put in position from the front of the wedge-box, and said parts, together with the follower G, slipped up into. place between the shoulders B and B where they are retained by the draft-gear carrier D, which is then suitably bolted or secured in place, the strap, however, preferably also being confined or'held in' place by said carrier D. As a convenient construction said carrier may be provided with a recess or groove, as shown at D, Fig. 2, for the passage of the lower portion of the strap.

In Figs. 5 and 6 an arrangement is shown for the application of the invention to a carframing wherein metallic draft-arms are applied to the draft-timbers. In these figures A indicates the metallic draft-arms forming extensions of the parts K and preferably braced by tie-rods K. The stops between which the draft-rigging is confined are formed on the draft-arms, as shown at K and K said stops K K corresponding to the stops B and B and the-stop K corresponding to the stop B of Fig. 1.

Obviously the stops B and K may be omitted, inasmuch as they simply serve to transmit a-portion of the pressure from the wedgebox to the draft-timbers, and when omitted the entire pressure is transmitted to the drafttimbers through the front end or shoulders of the spring-box to the stops B and'K as the case may be. Such an arrangement is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings, wherein A indicates metallic drafttimbers having upon their proximate faces stops L, corresponding to-stops B B of Fig. 1; but the intermediate stop is entirely omitted. The forward end of the spring-barrel is preferably provided with relatively heavy flanges M, which cooperate with the rear stops L and themselves form the abutment for the rear face ofthe wedge-box N, which latter is formed to fit against said flanges M. Other than in the particulars specified the arrange-- ment is substantially the same as heretofore described, although in these two figures the ter wedge O bear, whereas in Fig. 1 the follower G has its inner face formed with some.

what inclined faces against which the wedges oppositely-movable mem ber,friction elements F bear.

T So far as the present invention is concerned the particular angle of the faces which cooperate with the wedge-blocks and the rela-I tive angles of the faces of the wedge-blocks themselves is not material; but it will be understood that such faces may be arranged at such relative angles as to secure the desired resistance due to the friction generated by the'relative movement of the parts upon each other as the follower is moved inwardly in resisting buffing strains, and as the spring-- barrel and wedge-blocks are moved outwardly in resisting draft strains a movement of either of these parts in the directions indicated operating to move the wedge Fvtoward the center, thereby forcing the center wedge F rearwardly against the tension of the resilient member or spring H. The spring H is thus compressed from the forward end under both draft and buffing strains, although under draft strains there is a further slight compression of the spring due to the advancing of the spring-barrel and rear end of the spring itself.

In will be observed that the follower and wedge-box or wedge-box and barrel constitute members movable toward and from each other and limited in their outward movement by the relatively fixed stops, and'the center wedge, side wedges, and sliding surfaces constitute friction elements which are interposed between the two relatively movable members; but I do not wish to be limited herein, save where particularly specified, to the particular form of. friction elements shown, as other well-known or preferred forms may be-substituted therefor.

Having thus described myinvention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a draft and buffing rigging, the combination with the stops on the car-frame for receiving draft and buffing strains, of agear embodying oppositely-movable members and the orderly arrangement in line of strain offriction elements and a resilient resistance member, said parts constituting a structure of greater length than the distance between said stops and projecting parts on the oppositely-movable members of the gear confined between said stops; substantially as described.

2. In a draft and bufling rigging, the combination with the stops on'the car-frame for receiving'dra'ft andb'nffin'g strains, of a gear embodying oppositely-movable members confined between said stops, one of said members extending beyond its stops and forming a casing for the reception of a resilient resistance member, a resilient resistance member andfriction elements between said oppositelyinovable members; substantially as described;

3. In a draft and buffing rigging, the combination with a spring-barrel having shoulders thereon near-its open-end, a cooperating between the barrel andcoiiperating member and a spring located in theb'arrel for resisting the relative movements of the friction elements, of stops codperating with the shoulders on the barrel and codperating member respectively to limit their movement away from each other; substantially as described.

4.. In a rigging such as described, the combination of a spring-barrel closed at one-end of a springbarrel closed at the end remote from the'other member, a spring in said barrel, a center wedge supported by the spring and friction-blocks interposed between said center wedge, barrel, and member toward which the barrel is movable, of shoulders on the barrel in proximity to its open end and fixed stops between which said shoulders and member toward which the barrel is movable are confined, to limit'the movement of the parts awayfrom each other; substantially as described.

6. In a rigging such as described, the combination with a wedge-box and spring-barrel separate from'each other but movable in unison in one direction, of a spring, a cooperating member movable toward and from the wedge-box and friction elements interposed between the spring wedge-box and cooperat- ,ing member; substantially'as described.

7. In a rigging such as described, the'combination with a spring-barrel, a wedge-box at one end of said barrel and a cooperating member, said wedge-box and coiiperating member being movable toward and from each other, of a. spring in the barrel and friction elements interposed between the spring wedgebox and cooperating member; substantially as described.

r 8. In a rigging such as described, the combination with a spring-barrel and wedge-box able under strains in the opposite direction,

a spring, and friction elements interposed between the spring, wedge-box and follower; substantially as described;

9. In a rigging such as described, the combination with a spring-barrel having shoulders near its open end, a wedge-box independent of said barrel supported at the open end of the barrel, a follower and stops with which the follower and shoulders on the barrel engage to limit the movement of said parts away from each other, of a spring in --the barrel, and friction elements interposed between the spring wedge-box and follower; substantially as described.

10. In a rigging such as described, the combination with a spring-barrel having one end closed and the other open and a wedge-box having inclined faces arranged at the open end of the barrel, of a spring within the barrel, a center wedge supported by the spring and wedge blocks interposed between the center wedge and inclined faces of the wedgebox; substantially as described.

11. In a rigging such as described, the com- 'binati'on with a spring-barrel having one end closed and the other open and a wedge-box arranged at the open end of the barrel, of a spring within the barrel, friction elements between the spring and wedge-box, a follower and separate relatively fixed stops for the follower, wedge-box and barrel respectively; 

